Crystal Red Shrimp care guide
Crystal Red Shrimp (Caridina cantonensis) — minimum tank 20 L, temperature 20-24 °C, pH 5.8-6.8.
Overview
The Crystal Red Shrimp (CRS) is a selectively bred colour line of Caridina cantonensis (formerly classified as Caridina serrata var.) developed in Japan in the 1990s. Adults display alternating opaque red and pure white bands; grading systems classify specimens from C-grade to S++/Mosura by pattern quality.
Taxonomy
- Family: Atyidae
- Genus: Caridina
- Scientific name: Caridina cantonensis
- Common synonyms: CRS, Bee Shrimp
Habitat
The wild ancestor is native to montane streams of southern China and Hong Kong, occurring in soft, slightly acidic, well-oxygenated water. Modern CRS lines are highly inbred and require similarly soft, acidic conditions to thrive.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 20 L (5.3 US gal)
- Adult size: 2-3 cm
- Temperature: 20-24 °C (68-75 °F)
- pH: 5.8-6.8
- GH: 3-6 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 1-2 years
Diet
A grazing omnivore feeding on biofilm, soft algae and decaying plant material. In aquaria a balanced shrimp-specific diet — bee shrimp pellets, mineral stones, blanched spinach and occasional protein wafers — supports moulting and colour.
Compatibility
Peaceful and best kept as a single-species colony in a soft-water shrimp tank. Combining with fish is risky — even small "shrimp-safe" species may take juveniles; tank mates limited to Otocinclus or kept fishless. Crossbreeding with Caridina cantonensis lines such as Tiger and Bee shrimp produces hybrid offspring.
Breeding
Reproduces directly in fresh water without a larval stage. Females carry small clutches of approximately 20-30 eggs under the pleopods for about 30 days; juveniles emerge as miniatures of the adults and feed on biofilm and shrimp-specific powdered foods.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: not formally assessed for the cultivated form. Wild Caridina cantonensis populations are restricted to a few southern Chinese streams.